The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Learning survival skills

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After reading the wilderness survival novel, ‘Hatchet,’ by Gary Paulsen, and preparing ahead of time in class, fourth-graders at the Academy at the Lakes in Land O’ Lakes got to experience what it might take to survive a simulated plane crash in the wilderness. They conducted the survival exercise on vacant land owned by the school off of 20 Mile Level Road in Land O’ Lakes. The program was the brainchild of teacher Steph Huff, who teaches reading and writing at the independent private school.

Nine-year-old Flynn Cummings, of Land O’ Lakes, feels his way around the shelter building module, while suffering from a simulated eye injury. Cummings and his classmates were building a shelter that would keep them dry, by gathering pine needles, grass and sticks, to create an overhang under an uprooted tree. (Christine Holtzman)
Ten-year-old Raelynn Wornor, of Wesley Chapel, searches through bags of supplies that survived the simulated plane crash, looking for items that could be helpful to start a fire. The bags contained items that would typically be found packed in suitcases. Among the items used to try to build a fire: magnifying glasses, batteries, paper cups, Spanish moss, grass, tissues and sticks.
Using an old water bottle, paper towels, dead leaves, fresh grass and charcoal, students were able to filter dirty, murky water into drinkable water. Lisa Picard’s science class prepared the students ahead of time in the process of water filtration. During this exercise, she provided PH level test strips so that the students could test the safety of their water.

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